John Gray Kales

John Gray Kales

Visitation Tuesday

Fred Wood Funeral Home-Rice Chapel

36100 Five Mile Rd. Livonia (E. of Levan)

 3:00pm-9:00pm

Funeral Wednesday

Fred Wood Funeral Home-Rice Chapel

Gathering 10:00am             Service 11:00am

Kales, John Gray age 53 of Hamtramck, passed away on October 6, 2018. Dearest son of the late Robert and Shirley Kales. Loving brother of Nancy (John) Kabrovich. Proud uncle of Sarah. Also survived by many other loving family and friends.

John Gray was born March 25, 1965 in Detroit, Michigan to Captain and Mrs. Robert G. Kales of Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. He studied at the Electronic Institute of Detroit, Spec Howard School of Broadcasting, Wayne State University and had an ongoing thirst for knowledge. From a young age he was interested in computers, photography and music and started programming at the age of 12.

For many years he was a camera man in the Detroit Metro Area working on movies, commercials, and documentaries. The most notable work he did was during the Mississippi River Floods, where he went behind the lines to document the devastating damage and struggles of everyday people during a natural disaster.  One of the things that he remembered the most was how people worked together and would offer what little they had to help others despite of the fact they had lost everything.

He loved life and diversity of cultures and people. That is one of the reasons he loved Hamtramck so much. It is also what lead him to run for School Board and join the Hamtramck Zoning board.  As the longest standing member, he eventually became President of the Zoning Board. While living in Hamtramck he started a block club and was very active in his community.

He was also active in the Native Community in Canada. There he received a National Heritage award from the Canadian Government for his work. 

But what he was most know for was computers. He was a genius in his field, working tirelessly to solve problems and bring people together. In his spare time, computers where his hobby. At home he experimented with artificial intelligence. For many years before the recession he had a successful consulting firm. Eventually he moved to more stable employment working for GTB. There he made many friends and enjoyed working with a team that was like a family.

Memorial contributions may be made to:

Hep C Liver Foundation ~ American Liver Foundation

National Office
39 Broadway, Suite 2700
New York, NY 10006

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